THE TRUTH ABOUT “Commercial Print Agencies” Height and Petite Modeling [petite model]
Can I get Commercial print as a petite model? (Petite Modeling)
The current “status quo” practiced by the fashion and beauty industry, leaves the petite model 5’5″ tall and under out of most available work. The common reaction is that “height doesn’t matter” in commercial print. Wish the was the case, but it isn’t. The truth is, the criteria for commercial print is different from fashion, but “height does matter,” anyone claiming otherwise is misleading.
These are the current industry standards for women: amazons 5’9″ plus , petite models 5’4″ and under, and for men 6’3″ plus, 5’8″ and shorter, unfortunately those on the lower end are not what the print industry hires.
Sometimes, there are exceptions and some fashion and commercial agencies have a few petite models who work in exceptional cases. Many times it’s nepotism, personal interest, or a favor. Perfect example: 5’5″ Devon Aoki only works because at age 13 “her godmother introduced her to Kate Moss who later took Aoki as her apprentice.”
Height and Professional Modeling “Petite Models” part one
Commercial Work For “MIDDLE HEIGHT”
The truth is that commercial work mainly goes to those who are considered “middle height.” Sounds good… The median height range for women in commercial print is 5’6″ and taller, the average male is 5’11 and taller.
Yes, we know this is not want you want to hear, but it’s the “industry status quo” not “real life.” Case and point ANTM’s “short” model winner 5’7″ Nicole Fox.
The average height of a female in the “real world” is petite at 5’3″ tall.
BellaPetite.com Means Change is Happening!
BellaPetite.com is the “petite” brand. We are tearing down the discriminatory industry height standards. If you’ve had enough of the industry “status quo,” then you are ready to become a member of the petite fashion movement. You want a magazine that you can identify with that will revolutionize the fashion world, then become a member. This is how petite women, the “real women” of the world, will create opportunity!
Getting an Agency as a Petite Model
The way it is: All of the major “Fashion” agencies primarily have amazon models that are 5’7″ and taller. “Industry Standards” Height and Professional Modeling part two
The commercial print agencies in the “major markets” (CA, IL, NY, FL) usually have a variety of heights and some exceptions for petite models 5’4″ tall and over.
The agencies based in medium and smaller cities are generally “hybrids,” booking commercial or fashion print work, which sets their baseline needs. Typically they have more petite models, but be careful these agents don’t operate like the mainstream agents ( ex. Ford, Elite, Wilhelmina) guidelines. You may find yourself paying for consultant fees, photo fees, modeling school, casting fees and so on to help keep them in business. Don’t get taken.
Three Reasons for No on Petite Models
Majority of advertisers (non-fashion) would be okay if models were all 5’6”, leaving out the real petite models. The industry “status quo” dictates three reasons why print agencies don’t carry many petite models on the books:
1. ”Petite Models” would be okay, if there wasn’t a large height disparity between models used in a multi-person shoot. (Look how horrible the Versace campaign looks with 5’6″ Kate Moss and amazons!) It’s simple, the petite models don’t fit in with the current “status quo’s”, arbitrarily imposed standards.
2. Few advertiser’s will object to a 5’9” model, but will not hire a petite model at 5’3” tall. The way the current standards are designed the amazons do virtually all of the commercial jobs that the petite models can, but the reverse is not true.
3. In smaller markets, clients tend not to spend a lot of money on models. If they need tall models, they use an agency to find them. When petite models work in campaigns, likely the model is family, a friend, or a company employee, who are readily available in heights less than 5’8″ tall and they are not compensated.
Point being agents are about making money, they only want models demanded by the market place and by their clients. They sign models according to demands and the work the model can do.
The current status quo is “petites may not apply, amazons only.”
BellaPetite.com is your platform to change the status quo. It’s important for you to participate, become a member and spread the news to other petite women to join. Create the market place demand here, get registered as a member.
A million women can make a difference, join us to change the status quo.
Height and Professional Modeling “Petite Models” part one
“Industry Standards” Height and Professional Modeling part two
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Enter the Bella Petite Magazine Cover Girl and Editorial model search.
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What an informative article thanks for adding a proper perspective.
Really helpful information. For once straight answers!
You answered so many of my questions. You are so right!
I can see how we need to support this website if us petite gals are gonna have any chance at all! I'm a member forever! xoxo
I am so tired of getting misleading info and you totally put the info out there! thanks
This article is very true and it makes me upset knowing that there are so many beautiful, petite women out there who would love to get the opportunities and recognition that an amazon model gets in the fashion industry. I agree with Sheri, as I will be in this fight for petite models until we gain the love and respect of the fashion industry as well!
As a petite woman and as an aspiring model, it really is important to have this information on hand. It is also very important to show these people in the fashion industry that they are severely overlooking such a giant market of beautiful fashionable petite women. I am trying very hard to succeed in the print modeling industry and I, for one, will not give up, no matter how much the odds are against me. I am tired of seeing just the amazons out there. We need to represent our petite beauties.
sigh, i am sooo confused! i thought that the idea of modelling is to advertise clothes or fashion, so in this case to get consumers to like the product and try to strive to look like the person being pictured selling the clothes…..so if there is no disparity between the model or the average population, things won’t get sold?? also, even in petite modelling, you will still look at body proportions such as long neck, long legs, slender frame…etc…correct? by the way, i thought that D Aoki and K Moss were both at 5’7″ or at least?if we all like to be little, then why do we all wear high heels?
confused
We understand your frustration and that is why we developed the Bella Petite multimedia platform to fulfill the consumer demands of petite women. It will take a million women subscribing to http://www.BellaPetite.com/join for petite women to compete with the other fashion magazines. Once we have that support and prove our marketability to retail, change will happen! To answer why we wear heels. All women whether petite or tall wear high heels to look fashionable.
I’m 19 and I’m 5″0 flat- the last I measured anyway. I was contacted by a company who are a talent scout agency over facebook who were looking to ‘assist’ aspiring models to help get them represented by an agency( I live in Australia by the way). The girl asked me if I was interested in doing full time or part time modeling work. I was automatically suspicious on it, however everything seemed legit so I told them how tall I was and they said it wasn’t a problem- again I highly doubted this but I decided maybe I should give them a chance. However it wasn’t until at the actual photoshoot that they sat me down and told me the whole she-bang on the deal. The girl I was contacted by over Facebook didn’t make it very clear about what they exactly did, and even when I went to their website to find out what they exactly did, the article basically said to me ‘we do a professional photoshoot, then we show top modeling agencies your pictures and get you in contact with them’ so as I was sitting there at the photoshoot the woman basically told me that what I was getting a photoshoot and I would have to pay for the photos (over $1200) if I wanted them. She then told me that their company didn’t find you work, they just did the photoshoot, you pay for the photos and then you go off and get a portfolio and find your own work. I wish they had been more clear to me from the very beginning because it does give you a little false hope- I know there is literally almost no chance for me to become a model because of my height, and it pisses me off that you only ever see women over 5″9 modeling everything. Not only that, almost all clothes I find are made to fit women who at least stand at 5″6 and over. It sucks because women of all heights should be represented in the fashion world. It’s just stupid to limit it to women who are 5″9 or over.